BUCKTHOBN JUJUBE TEEE. 79 



in hedges and thickets on the borders of Salisbury Plain. 

 The characteristics of the Buckthorn family are calyx of four 

 or five sepals, and petals of the same number, and stamens 

 answering to the sepals ; fruit hard and dry. The common 

 Buckthorn has serrated lance-shaped leaves, compact clusters 

 of greenish flowers, and black bitter berries. The stamens are 

 on one flower, and the pistils on another. The fruit gathered 

 unripe yields a yellow dye ; a coarse medicine for dogs is 

 made from the ripe berries. 



Edward was told that the Alder Buckthorn (R. frangula, 

 Plate VI., fig. 1), grew in a certain wood near Hawkhurst. 

 He went to seek it, and was greatly disappointed to find that 

 the whole wood, excepting the large trees, had been levelled 

 to procure Hop-poles. However, he found it afterwards in 

 the Bedgebury woods. It is a pretty shrub, with light green 

 foliage; the broad-shouldered leaves are on long footstalks, 

 and the little waxy pink-tinted flowers look very innocent 

 in their small clusters. One of those caterpillars which 

 children call " woolly bears " was crawling upon the leaves 

 when Edward found it, and his young companion, a juvenile 

 " man of Kent," told him by no means to touch the creature, 

 for it was called a " black man's ring," and if it once got 

 round his finger nothing could loosen it except cutting off 

 the finger. Mr. Johns states that the caterpillar of the 

 sulphur butterfly feeds principally upon this shrub, so probably 

 it is a general favourite with caterpillars, and the "woolly 

 bear " that did not fasten round Edward's finger, may disport 

 among the branches next summer on gorgeous wings. 



Of the same order is the Jujube Tree, a native of Syria, 

 from the juice of which the cough lozenges called jujubes are 

 made. At Hawkhurst Edward saw a graceful tree with 

 pinnate leaves and long spines ; it is an ally of the Buckthorn 

 order, and is supposed to have been the tree from which our 

 Saviour's crown of thorns was made. It is indigenous to 

 Syria and Palestine. 



